Danazol improves thrombocytopenia in HCV patients treated with peginterferon and ribavirin
Journal Title: Annals of Hepatology - Year 2011, Vol 10, Issue 4
Abstract
Background. Thrombocytopenia is a common hematologic disorder observed in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Combined peginterferon (PEG-INF) and ribavirin treatment may exacerbate thrombocytopenia in patients with HCV. Objective. The aim of this pilot clinical trial was to assess the efficacy, tolerability and safety of Danazol in thrombocytopenia associated with PEG-INF and ribavirin treatment in patients with HCV. Material and methods. We included patients whose platelets were < 90,000/mm3 and who were undergoing antiviral treatment. Danazol (300-600 mg/day) was administered during and until the end of antiviral therapy [7.6 months (2 to 11 months)]. The monitoring was performed through platelet analysis and liver function tests. A viral load test was done at the beginning and end of treatment. Fortynine patients receiving a combined therapy of PEG-INF, ribavirin and Danazol increased their platelet levels to 121,081/mm3 (46,000-216,000/mm3); 10.6% of patients gained > 100,000 platelets/mm3, and 71% of patients maintained their initial platelet levels. Sustained viral response (SVR) was achieved in 63% of patients. SVR rates were high in patients with genotype non 1 (78.7%) and decreased in patients with genotype 1 (60.1%). The increase in platelet levels was associated to an increase in fibrinogen levels and a decrease in the activity of ALT. By contrast, patients without SVR presented a delayed response to increased platelet levels and showed no significant improvement in liver function when they received Danazol. Conclusion. Danazol can be used along with PEG-INF and ribavirin to treat thrombocytopenia in patients with HCV.
Authors and Affiliations
Guillermo Álvarez, Diana Gómez-Galicia, Lourdes Rodríguez-Fragoso, Vicente Marina, Luis Dorantes, Miguel Sánchez-Alemán, Nahum Méndez-Sánchez, Jorge Esparza
Hepatitis C viral kinetics in Latino patients: a comparison to African American and Caucasian patients
Introduction. Response to hepatitis C treatment is known to differ by race; and, limited data suggests by ethnicity as well. A lower efficacy of HCV therapy in Latinos has been observed; whether higher doses may improve...
Prognostic Significance of The New Criteria for Acute Kidney Injury in Cirrhosis
Background. New criteria for acute kidney injury (AKI) in cirrhosis have been proposed, but its prognostic significance is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic significance of the AKI criteria in cirrhotic...
Pioglitazone upregulates hepatic angiotensin converting enzyme 2 expression in rats with steatohepatitis
Objective. Angiotensin II, one component of renin-angiotensin system (RAS), is formed from Ang I by the catalysing of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). Angiotensin II plays an important role in the development of insu...
Circulating levels of pentraxin-3 (PTX3) in patients with liver cirrhosis
Background: Despite the circulating levels of PTX3 were related to the severity of various diseases, there are no studies investigating its role in patients with liver cirrhosis. We aimed to study PTX3 levels in patients...
Role of ursodeoxycholic acid in prevention of hepatotoxicity caused by amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in rats
Incidence of hepatotoxicity caused by the broad spectrum antibiotic combination amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Co-amoxyclav) has been increasingly recognized and the mechanism of this toxicity remains undefined. On the oth...